On a general level, this research project concerns ways in which the domestic and international laws relating to the situation of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are shaped by broader socio-political and economic factors. More specifically, this dissertation examines the human rights situation of Filipina MDWs who participate in Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). It attempts to meet these objectives, in part, by undertaking a limited comparison of the situation of these Filipina MDWs and the Filipina MDWs in Hong Kong. The comparison is meant to further test and validate the arguments and proposals presented in this dissertation regarding the socio-legal status of Filipina MDWs under Canada’s LCP. This is done through an analysis of existing data on Filipina MDWs, and a consideration of the ways in which the relevant laws and policies in these two jurisdictions affect, create and/or perpetrate the status quo in this area of social life. The main explanatory theoretical framework that is deployed is the Third World Approaches to International Law (the TWAIL theory).
Author(s): Maria Deanna P. Santos
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 260
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 11
ABSTRACT......Page 13
LIST OF TABLES......Page 15
LIST OF ACRONYMS......Page 17
PROLOGUE......Page 19
2. The Linkages between Human Rights and Migration......Page 21
3. Migrant Domestic Workers: Most Exploited, Least Protected......Page 24
4. In Search of an Effective Regime for the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Domestic Workers......Page 26
5. Reasons for the Comparative Dimension of the Study......Page 28
6. Research Questions......Page 29
8. Brief Review of Literature......Page 30
9. The Significance of the Dissertation and its Original Contribution to Legal Scholarship and Public Policy......Page 36
11. Terminology......Page 38
12. The Outline of the Dissertation......Page 39
13. The Context......Page 41
13.1. Historical Overview of Philippine Migration......Page 42
13.2. Labour Export Policy......Page 43
13.3. Factors Contributing to Philippine Labour Migration......Page 46
13.4. Shortcomings of Philippine State Protection......Page 47
13.5. Recent Trends in Philippine Labour Emigration......Page 50
14. The General Benefits of the Dissertation......Page 51
1.1. Critical Legal Theory......Page 53
1.2. Critical Race Theory......Page 55
1.3. Feminist Legal Theory......Page 58
1.4. Intersectionality Theories......Page 60
1.5. Dependency Theory......Page 62
1.6. Postcolonial Theory......Page 64
2.1. What is 'Third World Approaches to International Law' (TWAIL)?......Page 66
2.2. Why Use TWAIL in this Dissertation?......Page 75
1. Rationale for the Chapter......Page 77
2. International Migration in Context: Human Rights Wronged?......Page 78
3. Brief History and Nature of the International Human Rights Regime......Page 80
4.1. Beginnings: The International Labor Organization......Page 84
4.2. The Migrant Workers' Convention: A Long and Difficult Road......Page 85
4.3. Migrant Workers and Regional Human Rights Protection......Page 90
5.2. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Migrant Workers' Rights......Page 91
5.3. Other United Nations and Intergovernmental Organizations......Page 93
6. Country Case Study: Canada......Page 94
7. Filipina Migrant Domestic Workers and Human Rights: An Illusion?......Page 98
1. Canada and Migration: A Brief Overview......Page 101
2. The Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)......Page 102
3. Filipinas in the LCP: Diasporic Trends or Institutional Racialization?......Page 105
4. Working Towards a Common Good: A Closer Look at Some NGOs in Toronto Assisting MDWs......Page 107
5. The LCP and Administrative Discretion......Page 111
5.1. Charter Guarantees in General......Page 112
5.2. Charter Guarantees as Applied to the LCP......Page 114
5.3. Conflicting Applications of LCP Policy......Page 115
5.4. Three Cases: Melca, Leticia and Marisa......Page 116
5.5. Some Proposed Alternatives......Page 119
6. The LCP and Human Rights......Page 120
6.1. Violations of the Equality and Non-Discrimination Principles......Page 121
6.2. A 'Dehumanizing' Program?......Page 123
6.3. Labor Rights and Migrant Domestic Workers in Canada......Page 124
1. The Context of Migration to Hong Kong......Page 131
2. Exodus of Filipina MDWs to Hong Kong and the General Attitude Towards Them......Page 135
3. Hong Kong and Its Compliance with International Human Rights Standards......Page 137
4. The Human Rights Implications of Hong Kong's Policy on Migrant Domestic Workers......Page 141
5.1. The Employment Ordinance......Page 144
5.3. Two-week Rule......Page 145
5.4. Non-eligibility for Permanent Residence......Page 146
6. Types of Abuses and Ineffective Remedies......Page 148
7. Other Types of Human Rights Violations and NGO Assistance......Page 149
1. Overview / Introduction......Page 155
2.1. The Commodification and Devaluation of Domestic Work......Page 158
2.2. Gender Equality and the Displacement of Misery to Third World (especially Filipina) Women......Page 160
2.3. Citizenship Rights and Temporary Status......Page 161
2.4. Racialization......Page 165
2.5. Live-in Situation......Page 168
2.6. Inadequacy of Remedies......Page 171
2.7. Family Separation and Reunification......Page 173
2.8. Equality and Labor Rights......Page 174
2.9. Matters of Agency......Page 175
2.10. Organizational Advocacy......Page 176
2.11. Governmental Regulation......Page 177
2.12. Implications of Globalization......Page 178
3. Conclusion......Page 180
1. What is the TWAIL Human Rights Optic?......Page 183
2. Application of the TWAIL Human Rights Optic to the Situation of Filipina Migrant Domestic Workers in Canada and Hong Kong......Page 185
2.1. Colonial History and Status......Page 186
2.2. Sovereignty Question......Page 189
2.3. Multidimensional Injustice......Page 191
2.4. Remedial Measures......Page 192
2.5. Summary of Arguments......Page 193
3.1. Contributions to the TWAIL Scholarship......Page 194
3.2. Contributions to the Other Critical Theories......Page 195
1. Summary......Page 197
3. Conclusions and Recommendations......Page 201
BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 211
INDEX......Page 233
ANNEXES......Page 243
